Arriving about 15 minutes before the store opening, we saw two long lines queueing around the building as shoppers, carts in hand, were waiting to enter. We waited in the car until the doors opened and walked to the back of the line.
The only way to describe the situation was chaos. People were literally racing with the carts to the rear of the store where the paper products and water were. All decorum was lost and there was jostling, shoving, wrestling for the last 36-roll package of toilet paper. In less than three minutes, the entire huge amount of paper goods were gone. One man had one of those flat carts with at least 20 packages of 36 rolls and he was wrestling with another man who had nearly as many.
The water aisle was no different. Unbeknownst to many of them, this particular warehouse stocks excess cases of water on the tire aisle, which was empty. I slowly and happily got our normal three cases of water and put them in our cart. As the aisle on the other side was picked clean, the panicked shoppers saw the wall of water on the other side and descended on it with a vengeance. Although there was plenty for everyone, it turned ugly. Before I cleared the far side, I saw two separate shoving matches and a large man who offered to punch the lights out of a woman who bumped him with her shopping cart.
The meat and fresh vegetables were getting cleaned out at a rate that I didn’t think possible. We picked up the majority of what we normally do and got the hell out of that maelstrom. I feel bad for the people who are forced to work in conditions like that.
This is how the population acts in a country where 41 people have died. How the hell would we act if millions had died instead?
Get educated about the virus and take precautions, especially if you or if you have family members that older (65+) or have compromising health issues. There are a few things to know about the virus, despite what is going on right now.
- The disease was identified quickly and the medical community already knows how to test for it
- Over 80 percent of the people affected have very mild symptoms
- The lethality of coronavirus is under three percent
- Symptoms are mildest in children; less than three percent of those under 20 will contract it
- Vaccines are already in the process of being tested
- And most importantly, cleanliness kills it
Basic cleanliness and disinfectants kill. Use a substance with 60 percent alcohol, so when all else fails that 120 proof Everclear will help. Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces daily in household common areas (e.g. tables, hard-backed chairs, doorknobs, light switches, remotes, handles, desks, toilets, sinks).
And how exactly is this panic-buying of toilet paper going to help people? This entire fist-fighting over hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes is ludicrous. You can have 100 tubs of it, but if your neighbor doesn’t and he gets sick… then where are you at?
Work together, help each other, especially those older Americans who are most at risk. And stop the fucking panicking.
For a practical resource on how to deal with the Coronavirus, visit Apple iBooks.
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